


curiosity keeps leading

by paburke



Series: Opportunity [3]
Category: Criminal Minds, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:36:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paburke/pseuds/paburke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some times they do say 'yes.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	curiosity keeps leading

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: Season 9ish of CM, season 5ish of SGA

When Hotch arrived early Monday morning, he was surprised to see Reid waiting and looking nervous. It was only the two of them and Reid was so unsettled that Hotch started with the familiar, “Spencer?”

“Gideon recommended me for a project and it’s huge and important and life changing …” Reid paused his babble to breathe and his eyes got even wider, Hotch knew that the genius had inadvertently talked himself into taking the job.

“How long until you leave?” the agent-in-charge asked.

“I haven’t told them yes,” Reid admitted. “I told them the answer was probably going to be ‘no’.”

“Why?”

“Our people. This team. They –you are my family.”

“We’ll still be your family, Spencer. We kept in touch with JJ while she was in the State Department, we’ll keep in touch with you while you’re…” Hotch trailed off pointedly.

Spencer’s eyes danced with glee. “I can’t tell. It’s top secret with the Air Force. You’ll continue to be the executor of my will?”

“Of course.”

“Will you keep my books?” he asked more hesitantly.

“Yes, Spencer, I will. I’ll help you pack everything for safe keeping. No room?” Hotch guessed. He had been deployed overseas and knew the space limitations.

Reid was bummed. “Yes. Everything is on tablets or computers. Almost no paper documents to be found anywhere on base.”

“We’re going to have to get you a Kindle and load it up with all the books it can hold.” Hotch would mention it to Garcia and she would want that job.

“It’s not the same,” Reid complained.

“You won’t be the same,” Hotch pointed out. “But change isn’t necessarily bad.”

“I just didn‘t think I’d be the one leaving.”

“The odds were against it. You won me five dollars off Rossi.”

“You bet against me?” Reid was horrified.

“I bet on Gideon. He contacted me and said that someone was trying to recruit him but he didn’t have the stability needed. He said it’d be perfect for you if you had grown enough to stretch your wings.” Hotch paused and watched the information sink in. “If at any time you want back, give me a three month warning and I’ll see what I can do.”

“You don’t need to give me training wheels,” the genius grumbled. “…but it is… it helps… you saying that.”

“You always have a place here, either professionally or personal.”

Reid’s smile was a bit watery.

Hotch decided to switch emotional gears. “So how are you going to tell Garcia?”

Reid looked horrified and that was before Garcia piped up. “How are you going to tell me what?”

Reid pointed at Hotch. “Ninja humor. Not nice.”

Hotch smirked. “You’re not going to distract Penelope.”

The computer genius glanced between the two men. “What’s going on?”

“I got a job offer,” Reid admitted. “And… I think I’m going to take it. At least for a little while.”

“Oh,” Garcia was subdued. “You’d get to use more of your genius?”

“Yes.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay. Only if you promise it’s only for a little while.”

“I’ll try?” Spencer said. He didn’t make promises he couldn’t guarantee. “I’ll try my hardest.”

“Close enough for a profiler,” Garcia said. “How long do I have to plan a going away party?”

“I don’t need a party.”

“Well, you’re getting one.”

Hotch walked away from the light hearted bickering. He had his own arrangements to make. He was determined to ensure Reid’s safety as much as possible. Colonel John Sheppard was going to receive a phone call. The man owed him for taking his genius co-worker.

 

_~We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.~ Walt Disney_


End file.
